Forward!
| Seats2 Title =Governors | Seats2 = | Website = www.forward.org.bt | politics = Politics of Baltusia | political parties = Political parties in Baltusia | elections = Elections in Baltusia | }} Forward!, is a political party in Baltusia. The party was founded in 4042 as the Conservative Freedom party and has changed its name to the Conservative Party, the Democratic Conservative Party and the Republican Party. The party has had four main phases thus far. Political Ideology The party can be described as centre-centre-right and libertarian. Primarily focusing on constitutional, judicial and economic issue in Congress, the party has legislated over key constitutional reform, such as implementing a Baltusian Declaration of Rights and founding the Baltusian Constitutional Court. On fiscal issues, the party can be seen as conservative, favouring low taxes and privatisation alongside lesser government spending and less regulation. The party favours liberalism with regards to social issues, defending LGBT rights, freedom of speech. Forward! are pro-euthanasia and first trimester abortions. Founding Phase In 4042, Matthew Leitch, a wealthy lawyer from Costa De Oro, Athosia founded the Conservative Freedom Party of Baltusia. The party fought their first election in 4043, winning 22 seats. Continually, the party grew in size and strength, and Congressman Leitch just missed out on Presidency in the 4055 Presidential elections, losing to Socialist Libertarian Party candidate Karl Benn by a mere 0.31% of the national vote. It was around this time that the party forged a long-term partnership with allies the 'Patriotic Tory Party'. Alexandra Burgmuller, known as the 'founder of modern conservatism in Baltusia', won the party their first Presidency. With 51% to 49%, she ousted President Karl Benn and reclaimed a Conservative Presidency. She continued as President for 21 years, choosing not to run in the snap election of 4070, which went to the Freedom Party's Jennifer Johnson. The snap election of 4071 was to be founder - Matthew Leitch's chance at Presidency, beating Green candidate Helen Riwan. Another election was called in 4072 with the National Front ousting Leitch in a landslide victory. This wasn't to be the end of Leitch though and in 4085 he swept to victory, ousting communist Robert Gibb. The January of 4086 caused major chaos due to the outbreak of a civil war in Baltusia. The Baltusian Civil War lasted from January 4086 to January 4089 and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. It was fought primarily between the right-wing government forces backed by overseas allies and the revolutionary forces supported by many left-wing factions, nations and parties from communist states around the world. The spark was seen as a series of laws, which some left-wing parties deemed as harsh and saw as stripping people of their civil rights. The conflict ended after a bloody campaign to take the government-controlled state of Albiland ended in stalemate. Both sides dismayed with the loss of life called a truce, although the rebels were deemed winners in the eyes of historians after securing the majority of territory, including the three northern states and after blockading the key seaport of Costa Del Oro Elections were called immediately in 4089 with RAC Party Leader Robert Gibb - an active supporterof the revolutionary forces - elected as President. However, right wing alliance opponents won the day in Congress, taking a majority of seats leaving the country in political deadlock. This was to be the end of Leitch and his presidency. He passed away in 4110 aged 88. Following the 4089 there was a long period without a Conservative President. Anya Stevenson was announced as the Presidential candidate for the 4113 election. She lost to communist candidate Catherine Benn. However, her policies secured victory in 4115 and 4119. The party then endorsed the Patrotic Party for several years following Stevenson's victories. In 4126, the first ever Conserative President, Alexandra Burgmuller passed away aged 96. Her grandson Matthew Burgmuller successfully won 3 terms as President, one in 4137 and two consecutive in 4157 and 4161. This was during the Aldegar crisis. Republican Phase In 4165, after President Leila Williams was elected, she changed the theme of the party to a more Republican style. The new focus of the party was to deal with the economy and oppose nationalisation which was being rapidly implemented by the left. Another reason for the name change was because President Williams felt that it was essential that Baltusia was preserved as a republican state due to a rise of communism, particularly in the north of Baltusia. After the 4165-4169 term , Leila Williams decided not to run for re-election and instead backed Patriotic Party candidate Xander Fisk as she felt she was 'Not in a position to lead the country forward' after her decision to gradually shift the Republicans slightly further right. Since the founding of the original Patriotic Party, the Republicans and Patriotic Party have always backed each others candidates for Presidential election as part of the 'Baltusia Right-Wing Alliance', often alternating the party of the 'Right' candidate, as often referred to by the media, every few elections and dependant on circumstance. In the 4169 elections, the Republican party drastically lost support legislatively, dropping from 197 congress seats to only 135. The result of this election lead to three senior Republican Party cabinet ministers and spokespersons resigning, including: * Andrew Ingrid- Finance Minister * Bradley White- Internal Affairs Minister * Steven Navas- Infrastructure and Transport Spokesperson This change lead to a leadership election within the party. Ex-majority speaker Dr Julia Baker won the election after beating Albiland Governor Xi Xiang by a single vote. The decision to elect Baker as the leader saw the party shift back to the centre. As Dr Julia Baker took lead of the Republican Party, a new figure was rising in financial politics- Stephen Trudeau. Named as Shadow Finance Minister aged only 31, he was the youngest ever Republican to be named in a cabinet, shadow or government. His popularity grew, as he spoke at numerous financial conventions and chaired multiple financial meetings. In 4173 he was announced as the 'right' candidate for the Presidential elections and dubbed 'The Centrist that could unite us all'. Trudeau won the 4173 election and almost immediately dealt with the economic disaster that was the Istalian energy nationalisation crisis. After his first term as President, the Republicans were viewed as a more 'Centrist' party. In 4177, Trudeau ran for re-election against Revolutionary-Anarcho Communist Party Candidate Sophie Balotti, who was endorsed by all left parties. He triumphed winning 57% of the vote to Balotti's 43%. After the 4177 elections, Trudeau announced that he was creating a historic 'Triple-Coalition' cabinet including the Baltusian Democratic Green Party. This move was seen as a decision which would decrease polarisation of Baltusian politics and re brand the Republicans as a more centrist party. In 4181, after winning his election to office for the third time, President Trudeau announced that the Republican Party would be dissolved by the 4185 elections, he said: " I am announcing that this will be the final time that the Republicans will run in an election and we will be dissolved in only a short 4 years. These 139 years have been incredible for Republicansim and Conservatism around the Terra, and ultimately in Baltusia. The Republican Party, the Conservative Party of Baltusia, the Democratic Conservative Party and ultimately the Conservative Freedom Party achieved our goal. And whilst the chapter of the Republican Party is ending, it's just the beginning for a centrist Baltusia. We will move and spread the word of freedom and republicanism around the Terra now, and perhaps one day we will return to Baltusia. But for now, thank you." After winning four elections, three term elections and one early election as President from 4173-4183, in June 4183, Trudeau was assassinated alongside Patriotic Leader and Vice President Darius Darvos whilst campaigning for the Terrarokkan Total Devolution Referendum. A swift decision was made to name Xi Xiang, former Albiland governor as the leader of the Republican Party. Immediately, Xiang suspended the proposed dissolution by 4185 and said: "At the election of 4181 we announced we would be dissolving. However, we are now taking the decision to suspend that decision for the foreseeable future. This nation needs stability, security and compromise at this tough time and the Republican Party can assure this." Following the assassination of Trudeau and Darvos, an early election was called, and the Patriotic Party name Defence Secretary William F. Mace as the 'Right Alliance Candidate', the Republicans endorsed him. The Right won the day and crushed moderate candidate Christopher Jacobs hopes of being elected as President again by over 6,000,000 votes. As per tradition, Xiang and the Republicans announced that they would endorse William F. Mace for his second term, this time for the 4188 elections. In 4187, Xi Xiang alongside the 94 other elected Republican Congresspeople announced that they would dissolve in 4190 and that the 4188 elections would be the final elections for the Republican Party of Baltusia. He also announced that his party 'planned to spread the word of Republicanism across the Terra' and famously that people should 'Expect to see Republicanism in a nation near you!'. Following a short term in Cildania, the Republican Party returned to Baltusia to contest the 4194 General Election with Zara Rose taking over for a short while. She proved fairly unpopular, alongside her Foreign Minister and deputy leader Matthew Brown, due to controversial handling over the New-Endralon crisis. Justice Minister, Ruby DeGraz took over as leader and named Graham Burgmuller as her Foreign Minister. Much more popular with the electorate, DeGraz won both the 4208 and 4212 Presidential Elections. Her legacy is heavily vested in the lengthening of the constitution - she introduced state legislatures and a constitutional court. The Republican Party endorsed the Patriotic Party at the 4216 Presidential Elections before slowing down electoral activity before eventually officially dissolving following the 4224 elections. Relaunch Phase A new breath of life for the party was found by ancestor of the late 13-year President and 'founder of conservatism in Baltusia' Alexandra Burgmuller, Brian Burgmuller. Angry at constitutional reforms by the left-wing parties of Baltusia, he relaunched the Baltusia Republican Party. It will be much more difficult for the Republican's than in past elections, without long time partners - the Patriotic Party and other Right Alliance members. The party contested the 4254 General and Presidential Election very successfully, becoming the second largest party in Parliament and coming third in the First Round of Presidential Voting. They also contested the next election, not doing as well, however in the next election they successfully took government in coalition with the Baltusian Green Alliance.